A locking mechanism provided for latching of a door or flap comprises at least one catch and at least one pawl. The catch can be pivoted from an open position to a closed position via a locking bolt of a door or a flap. The pawl ratchets the catch in the latched position. The locking bolt can then no longer leave the locking mechanism as the catch can no longer be pivoted back into its open position. For opening, the pawl must initially be moved out of its ratchet position, i.e. lifted from the catch. The catch can subsequently be pivoted back into its open position. The locking bolt can then leave the fork-shaped inlet slot of the catch again and thus the locking mechanism. A pertaining door or flap can be opened.
There can be two ratchet positions, namely a so-called pre-ratchet position and a main ratchet position. If a catch is ratcheted in the pre-ratchet position, the pertaining door or flap is not yet completely latched. The catch can then be further rotated in the direction of the main ratchet position in order to be ratcheted in the main ratchet position. A pertaining door or flap is then completely latched. The catch can be rotated from the pre-ratchet position to the main ratchet position with the aid of an electrical drive, for example an electromotor.
Unratcheting of the locking mechanism is performed with the aid of an activation device. If a pertaining activation device is activated, an associated locking mechanism of a door or flap is then unratcheted, i.e. opened. The pertaining door or flap can then be opened. Unratcheting can also occur with the aid of an electrical drive, an electromotor, for example.
A motor vehicle latching system can also be bolted. In the bolted state, a locking mechanism can no longer be opened externally by activation of an external activation element, such as an external door handle. In order to provide improved protection from theft, bolting also takes place in such a way that opening can also no longer take place by activating an internal activation element. In the engaged state, a child lock also prevents a rear door of a motor vehicle being able to be opened from inside. The bolting, unbolting, engagement or disengagement of an anti-theft device or a child lock can also be performed with the aid of an electrical drive, especially an electromotor.
An electrical drive should regularly only move a relevant component in a motor vehicle latching system in one direction and consequently only work in one direction. A return movement of the component then occurs in another manner for example, with the aid of the force of a pre-tensioned spring.
An electrical drive can execute undesired return movements in an unscheduled manner. This can be prevented by an electronic braking device according to WO 00/19045 A1, namely with the aid of a transistor, a thyristor or a triac. It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,095 B2 to minimize such undesired return movements on an electrical actuator with the aid of a diode switched in parallel which acts as an electronic braking device.
An electrical drive for a motor vehicle latching system is known from WO 2006/069564 A2. This is connected to the electrics of the latching system with the aid of an electrical plug-in connector. An external plug with two electrical contacts with pin-shaped ends can be available which is plugged into a jack of the electrical drive for electrical connection. Alternatively, the electrical drive can have the plug which is connected to a jack for electrical connection.